Latch



Sept. 1, 1931 Zv POL/RE 1,821,847

LATCH Filed Dec. 16. 1930 3 mm 01 Z are PoZaire,

Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES ZERO POLAIRE, OF SALEM, OREGON LATCH Application filed December 16, 1930. Serial No. 502,806.

My invention relates to closure-fasteners, more particularly to closure-fasteners of the latch type, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein shown and described.

The latches in use today on gates, doors, etc., commonly known as two-ring latches are often inoperative or operated with difficulty because of interference of one of said rings with the other ring, during the operative movements thereof, this interference being occasioned by the close juxtapositioning of the rings necessary to keep said rings in engagement with the latch-bar, when the latch is in closed or operative position. It is, therefore, a primary purpose of my invention to provide a latch of the two-ring type that will permit placing of the rings thereof as closely as necessary to securely hold the latch-bar immovably therebetween, as well as allow operation of said rings without interference with one another.

A further object of my invention is to provide a latch of the type described that is adapted for use on any conventional closurefastener without modification thereof.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described that has few parts, is simple to manufacture and does not get out of order easily.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as this specification procoeds and the novel features will be more particularly defined in the appended claims.

My device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device according to my invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the rings, when the latch is in the released or inoperative position,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional. view showing the rings, when they are positioned in the latched or operative position, and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the device in one of the operative positions.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a framework generally indicated at 1, and comprising a body portion 2, for supporting the movable parts of the latch, and a mounting part 3, for positioning the latch on a gate-post 4, or other part of a closure on which the latch is used. This mounting part 3 is secured against movement by the fasteners 5.

The body portion 2 of the framework 1 consists of the rectangular frame 6 having the four walls 7, 8, 9, and 10, and the longitudinally extending partition wall 11 separating said frame into two open or slotted portions 12 and 13 in which the movable members of the latch are positioned. In this embodiment of the invention the movable members comprise the rings 14 and 15.

For swingably mounting these rings for movement to the latched and unlatched positions the pins 16 and 17 are provided. These pins are positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the frame and they extend across the openings on opposite sides of partition wall 11 to provide mountings for the rings as well as to impart rigidity to the frame.

The above parts are so proportioned that lateral motions of each ring in one direction of its motion will be prevented by engagement of the ring with an end wall of its respective slot, while each of said rings will be free to move in the opposite direction.

Any suitable form of latch-bar such as that indicated at 18 may be used with my latch. In this form of the invention the latch-bar is shown as positioned on a portion 19 of a gate, door, or the like, although it is clearly understood that the parts could be reversed with the latch on the movable part and the bar on the stationary portion of a closure.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of m invention is easily understood. When t e latch is set up for operative engagement with the latch-bar to secure the closure the parts 14 and 15 will assume the positions shown in Figure 3.

Upon the swinging of the movable member 19 to bring the bar 18 into engagement with the latch, the first rin to be engaged by said bar will swing freely at out its pivot to permit passage of the bar, while the second ring will be stopped by its respective end wall from any lateral movement to thereby stop the bar positioning the same between the'rings as shown in Fig. 4. The freely movable ring during each of the above described operations drops back into position after the bar has passed to secure said bar against reverse movement. The parts are so proportioned in relation to the bar that the same is securely held between the rings, when the same are engaging the lower shoulders of walls 7 and 9, to prevent movements of the rings and consequently of the bar positioned therebetween.

\Vhen the operator desires to release the gate or other closure means, he simply elevates manually or otherwise the ring placed on the side in which it is desired to swing the gate, and moves the bar beneath said elevated rmg.

It can be easily understood that, because of the separate slots in which the rings move, the movements of one ring will not interfere with the movements of the other, so that said rings may be positioned as closely as desired to secure a particular operation, as in this case, where the rings are placed in overlap ping position to assure close contact with the bar, when in the closed position.

It is further seen that I have provided a latch which accomplishes its function most efficiently with a minimum amount of construction.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A latch, comprising a frame having a pair of parallel slots therein, a ring loosely suspended in each of said slots for movement in one direction only, the directions of motion being opposite, whereby said rings will engage and retain an engaging latchbar therebetween, and means for securing said frame in position.

2. A latch comprising a frame, a pair of spaced rings loosely suspended in said frame, and oppositely disposed means for stopping each of said rings in one direction of their motion to adapt said rings to engage and retain a latchbar brought into contact therewith, said rings being movable in separated parallel paths.

3. A. latch comprising a frame having a pair of grooves arranged in parallelism, a pin extending transversely of each of said grooves, said pins being arranged in spaced longitudinal relationship, a ring loosely suspended about each of said pins, and normally hanging in overlapping longitudinal relationship with the other ring, and means comprising the end walls of said grooves for stopping each of said rings in one direction of their motion, whereby an engaging latchbar is retained in position therebetween.

EERO POLAIRE. 

